The present invention relates to a liner for swimming pools and, more particularly, a flexible plastic liner for above-ground swimming pools that is attached to the upper edge of the swimming pool wall. The pool liner of this invention has a plastic "beading" around its circumference, or border, which has a removable J-hook portion in connection with a bead portion. This beading arrangement allows the liner to be attached to pool walls that have "bead receivers" for attachment of beaded liners and to pool walls that have no bead receivers. The beading has perforations provided therein to facilitate the removal of the J-hook portion from the bead portion to convert the beading from a J-hook type liner to a bead type liner for insertion into a bead receiver.
Above-ground swimming pools are designed to use flexible plastic liners to provide a water-tight compartment to hold the water. Generally, pool liners used in above-ground pools are simply "overlapped" onto the upper edge of the pool wall. Once overlapped, the liner edge is held in place by a series of clips placed over the liner and pool edge at intervals around the pool wall. Roughly 80% of above-ground pools sold are designed to use these overlap liners. Liners with "J-hooks" can also be used in pools designed for overlap liners. See FIG. 1. The J-hook, in actuality an inverted "U," is an improvement in the overlap liner. It comprises extruded plastic hook type beading around the edge of the liner so that the liner hangs on the edge of the pool wall.
As is often the case, plastic pool liners develop holes and tears that require removal and replacement of the liner from time to time. The problem with overlap liners and J-hook liners is that decks are usually built around the pool after the liner is installed, at the height of the upper edge of the pool wall. Thus, the pools must be disassembled to replace the liner. To overcome this inconvenience and allow for easier replacement of the liner, some above-ground pools are equipped with a device for receiving a plastic bead formed around the circumference of the liner. Accordingly, the "bead" of the liner is inserted into the bead receiver installed on the upper edge of the pool wall. See FIG. 2. Also known as a "hung liner," a beaded liner is removable but cannot also be used as an overlap liner because the liner itself is too short in order to fit the bead receiver.
The situation created with the above prior art is such that a supplier of pool liners must keep three different types of liners in stock for each size of above-ground pool, resulting in great inconvenience and inventory expense to the supplier. Further, a manufacturer of pool liners must manufacture all three types of liners to meet market needs. It is therefore desirable that all three types of application of pool liners be met by a single pool liner design.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pool liner having the versatility of being applicable to an above-ground swimming pool in the manner of an overlap or J-hook liner, or in the manner of a hung or beaded liner.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a pool liner that can be easily removed and replaced.